JP6157011B2 - Encoded photodetector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to the field of coded light, and in particular to a remote control unit and method for controlling a set of light sources that emit coded light.

  Increasingly, the advent of integrated lighting installations consisting of individually controllable light sources, luminaires, lighting configurations, etc. with advanced rendering capabilities is said to transform lighting systems into specialized and general markets. This leads to the need for intuitive controls that can fully develop the rendering capabilities of a complete lighting infrastructure. Several approaches have been proposed for controlling light sources, lighting fixtures, lighting configurations, and the like.

  The first example includes wall surface installation control. During commissioning, a set of wall-mounted controls is installed, each of which, if possible, allows individual light sources or luminaires, or groups of light sources or luminaires, with optimal control for each type of control in the set. Control.

  A second example includes having a separate remote control unit for each individual light source or luminaire. This is believed to be an easy extension of the above wall switch control to a greater or lesser extent by a remote control unit.

  A third example involves iterative selection of individual light sources or luminaires. The user is provided with a simple remote control unit that can control any light source or luminaire to which the remote control unit is commissioned. The remote control unit can control one luminaire at a time, for example, by operating a user interface provided on the remote control unit (eg, by using a “back” or “forward” button) It may be possible for the user to look around all the lighting fixtures. A digital version of the above concept has been developed that employs a touch screen device as a remote control unit, and once a light source or luminaire is selected, the lighting control (e.g., tunable) optimized for that light source or luminaire. A color temperature for a light source or luminaire with white, or a color wheel for RGB illumination) is displayed to the user by a touch screen on the remote control unit.

  The fourth example includes the concept of points and control. In other words, this method effectively utilizes the principle of the encoded light and the remote control unit capable of detecting the light source in the direction indicated by the remote control unit or the code of the luminaire, and thereby the light source emitting the encoded light. Or identify the luminaire. Such remote control units typically have one or more photodiodes for detecting encoded light emitted by a light source or luminaire. In general, coded light has been proposed to enable advanced control of the light source. The encoded light is based on embedding data, in particular an invisible identifier, in the light output of the light source. Thus, the coded light is defined as embedding data and identifiers in the light output of the visible light source, and the embedded data and / or identifiers preferably do not affect the main illumination function of the light source. Can be applied. Thus, any modulation of luminescence that includes data and / or identifiers should be invisible to humans. This allows commissioning and recommissioning of networked lighting systems for applications such as intuitive scene settings. The coded light may be used in a coded application where one or more light sources are configured to emit the coded light and thereby communicate information to the receiver in the coded light system.

  The point and control approach shows the advantage of using the encoded light as a means to make the luminaire selectable simply by pointing to the luminaire. As mentioned above, this approach uses a photodiode to detect the encoded light message of each luminaire. It has been proposed to detect and decode the encoded light with a common camera.

  WO 2009/010926 relates to a method for processing light in a structure where the light source emits light carrying a discrete code. The camera is placed at the camera position of the above structure and records an image of the light spot. WO 2009/010926 is quick and at least by using a camera for recording an image of light emitted from a light source after installation and by recognizing individual codes in the recorded image. Based on the prospect that automatic determination of substantial light source characteristics can be obtained. The camera may have an image detector having a matrix of detector elements each producing one pixel of the recorded image. The camera records an image of the illuminated area at a period corresponding to or adapted to the modulation frequency of CDMA modulation. This allows the camera to generate images that acquire different CDMA codes for different illumination areas.

  The inventors of the embodiments included here have discovered many drawbacks in the first to fourth examples above. For example, the user may need to look around all light sources or luminaires (third example) or point the remote control unit to a separate light source or luminaire, respectively (fourth example) Time can be wasted.

  For example, the light source or lighting fixture configuration and remote control unit described above are not scalable. When the number of light sources and lighting fixtures increases in the above configuration, it is tired to look around each light (third example), carry a separate remote control unit for each light (second example), etc. This is a process that is prone to error.

  For example, the light source or lighting fixture configuration and remote control unit described above are not flexible. Switches installed on the wall for all configurations will be modified or added once a new type of setting or a subset of light sources or luminaires needs to be defined (first example) Would need to be done.

  The object of the present invention is to overcome these problems and to provide a set of light sources that emit coded light that is less time consuming, scalable, flexible, uncomplicated or error-prone. It is to provide a remote control unit and method for controlling.

  According to a first aspect of the present invention, this and other objects are a remote control unit for controlling a set of light sources, wherein at least one image is obtained and encoding in said at least one image An image sensor for detecting light; and a region and / or an object in an image acquired by the image sensor; and the detected encoded light is emitted by the detected encoded light, and the one or more lights Associating a set of light sources each having a setting with the determined region and / or object, wherein the region and / or object in the image is illuminated by at least the set of light sources, and the updated light of the set of light sources A set of processing units for receiving input signals relating to settings and the light source, the updated light A transmitter for transmitting a control signal corresponding to the constant, by a remote control unit having, is achieved.

  Since the remote control does not need to receive encoded light exclusively from one of the light sources, one by one, the remote control unit is preferably configured for a set of light sources in the encoded light system. It is possible to reduce the time required to determine Since the functionality of the disclosed remote control unit is independent of the number of light sources in the system, the disclosed remote control unit preferably also accommodates the number of light sources in the system. Furthermore, the disclosed approach allows the user to focus on the desired light effect regardless of the number and configuration of light sources. An example of this is a user interface that presents the user with settings for the overall light effect that affects the selected region / object instead of a specific user interface for each individual light source that affects the region / object. Show. While this type of interface is preferred for quick setup, an interface that allows the parameters of each light source that affect the area to be set individually if precise and complete control of the light setup is required Is preferred.

  The processing unit further receives at least two images from the image sensor, detects a difference between the at least two images, and determines a region and / or object in one of the two images from the difference. It may be configured. Thus, the remote control unit may preferably identify objects and / or areas from the acquired image.

  The processing unit is further configured to receive user input identifying an area in the image and to determine an outer edge of the object and / or area from the identified area to determine the object and / or area. Also good. Thus, the remote control unit may preferably identify objects and / or areas from user input.

  The remote control unit may further include a user interface configured to provide user input to the processing unit in user interaction with the user interface. The user interface may preferably have a touch-sensitive display that provides easy identification of areas and / or objects by the user of the remote control unit.

  An image sensor obtains the plurality of images to form a stack of images from a plurality of images and determines what code is present in the scene represented by the stack of images To generate a typical one-dimensional signal, by determining the sum of all pixels for each image in the stack of images and correlating the time dependence of all pixels with the code associated with the light source, The light range of the light source may be determined from a stack of images.

  This may be possible by using a synchronization of the set of light sources and the light sensor or by utilizing the rolling shutter characteristics of the image sensor. The optical sensor, which is realized as a general camera with a beam splitter and a photodiode, can maintain the outline of the environment by the camera, and at the same time detects the sign with extremely high accuracy and speed by the photodiode. It would be possible to do.

  The processing unit may be further configured to send the region and / or object identifier to the user interface. This may suitably provide the user with feedback regarding the identified area and / or object.

  The user interface may be configured to provide a snapshot of the image having the object and / or region along with the identification of the object and / or region. This may preferably further improve the feedback provided to the user.

  The user interface may be configured to provide an identifier as to which light source or luminaire affects the illumination of the object and / or area. This may suitably provide feedback to the user regarding the light source.

  The user interface may be configured to provide available light settings for the set of light sources. This may preferably allow the user of the remote control unit to change one or more light settings of the light source that affect the identified area and / or object.

  The processing unit may be configured to identify the region and / or object by segmenting the foreground image information from the background image information and to identify the region and / or object by the foreground image information. This may preferably allow improved identification of areas and / or objects.

  The processing unit further identifies the region and / or object by performing motion detection and / or motion estimation between the two images in order to detect an object and / or region moved between the two images. May be configured. This may preferably allow improved identification of areas and / or objects.

  The processing unit may be further configured to identify the region and / or object by performing depth segmentation to obtain an image depth measurement for the region and / or object to be identified. This may preferably allow improved identification of areas and / or objects.

  The processing unit may be configured to identify regions and / or objects by performing object detection. This may preferably allow improved identification of areas and / or objects.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, the object is the remote control unit, at least one luminaire controllable by the remote control unit and having at least one light source of a set of light sources; This is achieved by a configuration having

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, the above object is a method for controlling a set of light sources, wherein at least one image is acquired by an image sensor and encoded light in the at least one image is obtained. Detecting, by a processing unit, determining a region and / or object in an image acquired by the image sensor, and by the processing unit, the region and / or object in the image is at least a set of the light sources. Associating the determined region and / or object with a set of light sources that are illuminated by the detected encoded light and that emit the detected encoded light, each having one or more light settings. The light setting of the set of light sources updated by the processing unit The steps and, a transmitter for receiving an input signal related to the set of the light source, by a method having the steps of: transmitting a control signal corresponding to the light setting to be the updated, is achieved.

  It should be noted that the invention relates to all possible combinations of features recited in the claims. Similarly, the advantages of the first aspect apply to the second and third aspects, and vice versa.

These and other aspects of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention.
1a and 1b show a lighting system according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 shows the remote control unit. 3a to 3c show images acquired by the image sensor. FIG. 4 shows an image acquired by the image sensor. FIG. 5 shows an example of a user interface or configuration of the remote control unit. 6a and 6b are flowcharts according to an embodiment.

  The following embodiments are given merely by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

  Recent trends, as exemplified by WO 2009/010926, show the possibility of detecting encoded light using a common camera, and in the following, which lighting fixtures are installed in the scene Or a system is described that uses similar principles in combination with a computer vision algorithm that automatically detects what is most affected by recently moved objects.

  The operation of the lighting system is disclosed with reference to the lighting system 1a of FIG. 1a, the lighting system 1b of FIG. 1b, and the flowcharts of FIGS. 6a and 6b. The illumination systems 1a and 1b of FIGS. 1a and 1b have at least one light source configured to emit encoded light, schematically indicated by the light sources of reference numerals 2a, 2b, 2c. The at least one light source 2a-2c may be a luminaire and / or may be part of a lighting control system. The illumination systems 1a and 1b can thus be shown as encoded light systems. The luminaire may have at least one light source 2a-2c. The term “light source” refers to a device used to provide light in a room to illuminate an object in the room. In this context, a room is generally part of an outdoor environment such as an apartment room or office room, gymnasium, indoor store, indoor environment, theater, public space, or part of a city. Each light source 2a-2c can emit encoded light, as schematically indicated by arrows 3a, 3b, 3c. Thus, the emitted light has a modulation portion that is associated with the encoded light having the information sequence. The emitted light may also have an unmodulated portion associated with the illumination contribution. Each light source 2a-2c may be associated with a plurality of light (or illumination) settings relating to the light source's illumination contribution, such as the color, color temperature, intensity, frequency, etc. of the emitted light, among others. In general terms, the illumination contribution of the light source may be defined as the time averaged output of the light emitted by the light sources 2a-2c.

  The system 1a further comprises a device called a remote control unit 4 that is configured to receive and detect the encoded light emitted by the light source in the system 1a. Therefore, the remote control unit 4 has an image sensor 5 for detecting light emitted by a light source in the system 1a by acquiring an image having encoded light. The remote control unit 4 further includes a processing unit 6 that is operatively coupled to the image sensor 5. The processing unit 6 analyzes the image acquired by the image sensor 5 and identifies changes in the scene defined by the acquired image, in particular objects that are moved or inserted in the scene. The remote control unit 4 further comprises a transmitter 7 operatively coupled to the processing unit. The transmitter 7 is configured to transmit data as schematically indicated by arrows 8a and 8b to one or more light sources in the system 1a. The remote control unit 4 may further comprise other components such as a memory 9 operably coupled to the processing unit 6 and a user interface 16 operably coupled to the processing unit 6. Good. The remote control unit 4 may be a part of a mobile phone, and the functions disclosed herein may be provided as one or more applications, so-called “Apps”. The one or more applications may be recorded as one or more software products recorded on a computer readable recording medium.

  In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 1 b, system 1 b has configuration 20. Configuration 20, when operatively connected (or coupled), is a plurality of physically separated, which enables configuration 20 to receive and detect encoded light emitted from a light source in system 1b. Having a device (but operably connectable). Accordingly, the arrangement 20 has an image sensor 5 for detecting light emitted by a light source in the system 1b by acquiring an image having encoded light. Configuration 20 further includes a processing unit 6 operatively coupled to image sensor 5. The processing unit 6 analyzes the image acquired by the image sensor 5 and identifies changes in the scene defined by the acquired image, in particular objects that are moved or inserted in the scene. Configuration 20 further includes a transmitter 7 operatively coupled to the processing unit. The transmitter 7 is configured to transmit data as schematically indicated by arrows 8a and 8b to one or more light sources in the system 1b. Configuration 20 may further include other components such as a memory 9 operably coupled to processing unit 6 and a user interface 16 operably coupled to processing unit 6. In the configuration 20, the operator of the lighting system 1b can freely move and change the light setting while in the scene, while the image sensor 5 is fixedly installed on the ceiling of the space irradiated by the light sources 2a to 2c or specified. Would be suitable in the situation where Changing the light settings is further described below. As an example, the fixed placement of the image sensor 5 at a location allows the operator to move freely around the area to be illuminated while operating the user interface 16 (and thus with the device having the image sensor 5). Can be provided with physically different devices), so that the image of the scene to be illuminated can be transmitted wirelessly from the device with the image sensor 5 to the device with the user interface 16. This can free the operator from having to point to the scene to be illuminated while changing the light settings. The processing unit 6 may be provided in a device having the image sensor 5, a device having a user interface 16, or a third device.

  Thus, the remote control unit 4 of FIG. 1a depends in particular on which image sensor 5, processing unit 6 and transmitter 7 are part of the exact same physical device (ie remote control unit 4). While representing the embodiment, the configuration 20 of FIG. 1b does not require that any image sensor 5, processing unit 6 and transmitter 7 be part of the exact same physical device, but instead 2 These represent embodiments where devices are provided that are physically separated but operably coupled.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows the remote control unit 4 in terms of a plurality of functional blocks, some of which may be part of the configuration 20. The remote control unit 4 (as well as the configuration 20) has an image sensor 5 for receiving encoded light from at least one light source such as the light sources 2a-2c in the illumination systems 1a and 1b. In step S2, the image sensor 5 acquires at least one image. The image sensor 5 detects encoded light in at least one image. How encoded light is detected in at least one image will be further described below. The image sensor 5 is further configured to acquire an image in the field of view 10a-10b along the general light detection direction. In this way, the image sensor 5 can receive and detect light within the fields of view 10a-10b, particularly encoded light. The general light detection direction can be changed by changing the direction of the image sensor 5. The fields of view 10a-10b can be narrowed by the remote control unit 4 performing a zoom-in operation. Similarly, the visual fields 10a-10b can be expanded by the remote control unit 4 performing a zoom-out operation. Thereby, the image sensor 5 can acquire images in a plurality of different directions and in a plurality of different visual fields. The remote control unit 4 (as well as the configuration 20) can thereby be configured to identify individual lighting devices 2a to 2c from the group of at least one light source 2a to 2c. For example, the image sensor 5 can detect the physical direction in which the detected light is generated. These physical directions are represented by arrows 3a-3c in FIGS. 1a and 1b, which indicate that light is generated from the light sources 2a-2c. As a second example, the individual light sources 2a-2c may be identified by the illuminator identifier, and as described above, the identifier may be embedded in the light contribution emitted by the light sources 2a-2c.

  Each of the individual light sources 2a-2c can be identified because it is associated with a unique lighting device identifier. To achieve this, the image sensor 5 first acquires a plurality of images in step S12 in order to form a stack of images from a plurality of images (downsampled if high resolution is not required). May be. In step S14, the image sensor 5 determines the sum of all pixels for each image in the stack of images to generate a conventional one-dimensional signal (no delay) and which code (phase / phase) is present in the scene. Determines if (with time delay) is represented by the stack of images. Next, in step S16, the image sensor 5 determines the light arrival ranges of all the light sources 2a to 2c by associating the time dependency of all the pixels with the corresponding code (and the phase from the previous step). For this purpose, a stack of images may be used.

  The remote control unit 4 (also configuration 20) further includes a processing unit 6. The processing unit 6 may be implemented by a so-called central processing unit (CPU). In the exemplary scenario of FIGS. 1a and 1b, the image sensor 5 of the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20) is light emitted by one or more light sources 2a-2c (in the field of view 10a-10b of the image sensor 5). A certain light) is detected. The light has encoded light defining a unique lighting device identifier. For example, such an identifier may be realized as a pulse width modulation code. As a second example, the identifier may be realized by using a code division multiple access technique. It should be understood that other embodiments for the implementation of the identifier are known to those skilled in the art.

  As will be described in more detail below, the remote control unit 4 (also the configuration 20) may further include a user interface 16 that allows the user to operate the functions of the remote control unit. Thus, the user interface 16 may be specifically configured to receive user input and provide information to the user.

  FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c, and 4 illustrate possible embodiments for controlling a set of light sources that emit encoded light using the disclosed remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20). . 3a, 3b, 3c and 4 comprise several encoded light sources 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d as obtained by the image sensor 5 of the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20). The environment is shown in common. When a new object 13 is placed in the scene, the image sensor 5 is used to detect the presence and position of the object 13. Regions and / or objects in the image are thus illuminated by at least a set of light sources 2a-2d that emit encoded light. Also, regions and / or objects in the image may be illuminated by additional light sources. By utilizing the above principle for identifying individual light sources, the image sensor 5 can detect (and thus select) the encoded light source that most affects the new object. In the examples of FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c and 4, the light source acting on the object 13 is a light source denoted by reference numerals 2a and 2b. Each of FIGS. 3a, 3b, 3c and 4 will be described in more detail.

  FIG. 3a illustrates a first image 11a acquired by the image sensor 5 of the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20). The image 11a may be presented on the user interface of the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20). Image 11a illustrates a scene having light sources 2a-2d emitting encoded light 12a-12d.

  FIG. 3b illustrates a second image 11b acquired by the image sensor 5 of the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20). Compared to the first image 11a of FIG. 3a, the second image 11b shows the same scene as the image 11a, except that an object 13 has been added to the image 11b. The added object 13 can be detected by the processing unit 6. In particular, the processing unit 6 is configured to determine regions and / or objects in the image acquired by the image sensor 5 in step S4. The processing unit 6 may utilize one of a plurality of methods for detecting the added object 13.

  According to an embodiment, the processing unit 6 receives at least two images such as the first image 11a and the second image 11b from the image sensor 5 in step S18 and at least two images 11a, 11b. It is configured to detect differences between them. In the exemplary scenario of the first image 11a and the second image 11b of FIGS. 3a and 3b, the difference is defined by the addition of an object 13 in the image 11b. The object 13 can thus be determined in one of the two images 11a and 11b from the difference between the two images 11a and 11b by the processing unit 6 in step S20.

  Background segmentation may be used alternatively or in combination to determine regions and / or objects 13 in one or more images acquired by the image sensor 5. In background segmentation, a foreground segmentation mask is calculated to separate regions and / or objects from the background (background image). In particular, the processing unit 6 further identifies the region and / or object 13 by segmenting the image foreground information from the image background information in step S22, and uses the image foreground information to identify the region and / or object. 13 may be configured to identify.

  Motion detection / estimation may be used alternatively or in combination to determine regions and / or objects 13 in one or more images acquired by the image sensor 5 in step S24. In motion detection / estimation, a map of the entire area of the image moved in the most recent past is calculated. The processing unit 6 can thus be configured in particular to detect objects and / or areas that have moved between the two images.

  Depth segmentation may be used alternatively or in combination by the processing unit 6 to determine regions and / or objects 13 in one or more images acquired by the image sensor 5 in step S26. . Depth segmentation provides a map of what has changed in the environment. Recent advances in 3D optical ranging have revealed how to obtain depth segmentation for each pixel of a typical camera. The processing unit 6 can thus be configured to detect objects and / or regions, in particular, from image depth measurements where the regions and / or objects are identified.

  Object detection may alternatively or in combination be used by the processing unit 6 to determine regions and / or objects 13 in one or more images acquired by the image sensor 5 in step S28. In the object detector, the processing unit 6 can be trained to recognize only certain categories of objects, such as people, shoes, vegetables, etc., so that only when objects belonging to those categories appear in the scene , The area is made available.

  The added object 13 may alternatively be detected from a user operation. In order to realize this, the remote control unit 4 (similarly the configuration 20) may have a user interface 16. User interface 16 preferably has a touch-sensitive display. Touch-sensitive displays and their functions are known in the art. The touch-sensitive display may in particular be configured to supply the processing unit 6 with user input in user interaction with the touch-sensitive display. Also, the user interface may be based on line of sight or based on tactile interaction. If the user interface 16 is based on line of sight, the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20) is preferably directed to the user's eyes (or both eyes) of the control unit 4 (or the user interface 16 of configuration 20). The processing unit 6 uses optotype tracking to determine objects and / or regions in the displayed image. User input may receive tactile user input from, for example, a keyboard or joystick that is installed or operably coupled to the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20). There will be other similar and equivalent ways of receiving user input, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

  FIG. 3c illustrates a third image 11c acquired by the image sensor 5 of the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20). Compared to the second image 11b of FIG. 3b, the third image 11c illustrates the same scene as the image 11b, except that a marker 14 indicating the object 13 is added to the image 11c. . For example, a user of the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20) can point to an object in one of the images acquired by the image sensor 5. The processing unit may thus be configured to receive user input identifying a region in the image in step S30. The received user input can be informed to the user by applying a marker 14. The outer edges of the complete object can be automatically separated using the computer image recognition techniques described above. Thus, from the identified region, the outer edge of the object and / or region can be determined by the processing unit in step S32 to determine the object and / or region. From the selected image area, all relevant codes, i.e. codes associated with the identified areas and / or the light sources 2a, 2b, which are at least partially illuminating the object 13, may be selected.

Once one or several related areas / objects are detected, the user may receive a snapshot of the image acquired by the image sensor 5 in step S34. Optionally, the snapshot may be supplied with a display of the selected region / object in step S36. The snapshot may be supplied by the user interface 16. Figure 4 illustrates the snapshot image 11 d obtained by the image sensor 5 of the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20). Image 11 d illustrates the same scene and the image 11b and 11c. Furthermore, the image 11 d has a display of the detected object 13 in the form of a dotted line 15. For this reason, information relating to the display is originally generated by the processing unit 6 in response to the detection of the object 13, and is transmitted from the processing unit 6 to the user interface 16 in order to supply the display to the user in step S38. Alternatively, the user is not provided with an image / display. Alternatively, once a region / object is detected, the light sources 2a, 2b acting on the region / object may provide a visual indication, such as one or more flashes, resulting in The user can recognize which region / object is currently selected. In this case, the remote control unit 4 (or configuration 20) provides a visual indication when detecting the area / object and identifying the light sources 2a, 2b acting on the area / object, A control signal is transmitted to the light sources 2a and 2b.

  By means of the detected encoded light, the processing unit 6 further emits the determined regions and / or objects in step S6 and the light sources 2a and 2b emitting the encoded light detected by the image sensor 5 in step S2. Configured to be associated with a set of Once the area / object is detected, the user can additionally apply one or more applications of the light sources 2a and 2b acting on the detected area / object in step S40 through the user interface. It may be presented that possible lighting settings or characteristics can be changed. This is illustrated in FIG. In particular, the processing unit 6 is configured to receive an input signal relating to the updated light settings of the set of light sources 2a and 2b in step S8.

  FIG. 5 shows an example of the user interface 16 of the remote control unit 4. For configuration 20, user interface 16 may be provided as a separate physical unit. The controllable characteristics of the light may relate to the color, color temperature, intensity, and / or blinking frequency of the emitted light. In the example of FIG. 5, this is illustrated by a plurality of available settings 18 that the user can manipulate by setting the value of each slide bar 19. This allows the user interface to control the light by setting the characteristics of a specific group of light acting on the detected area / object.

  As described above, the remote control unit 4 (similarly the configuration 20) further includes a transmitter 7. The transmitter 7 is configured to transmit a control signal corresponding to the updated light setting for the set of light sources 2a and 2b in step S10. The set of light sources 2a and 2b is thereby controlled by the remote control unit 4.

  The remote control unit 4 (also the configuration 20) may further comprise other components such as a memory 9 operably coupled to the processing unit 6. The memory 9 is operated according to principles as known by those skilled in the art. Preferably, the memory 9 can have a set of lighting settings that can be transmitted to the light sources 2a-2c in the lighting systems 1a and 1b. The transmitter 7 may be an optical transmitter configured to emit encoded light. Alternatively, the transmitter 7 may be a wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit information. The transmitter 7 may be configured to perform bidirectional communication. The transmitter 7 may have a wireless antenna. Alternatively, the transmitter 7 may have a connector for wireless communication.

  Those skilled in the art will understand that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. In particular, the disclosed remote control unit 4 and at least one light fixture having at least one light source 2a, 2b, 2c and controllable by the remote control unit 4 may be supplied as one configuration.

  In summary, the disclosed embodiments enable store clerk to easily select luminaires that act on new products placed in the store window for store lighting, and for lighting designers to a specific location in the environment. And can be applied to several scenarios, such as automatically selecting light acting on such locations without the need for a pointing device.

Claims (15)

A remote control unit for controlling a set of light sources,
An image sensor for acquiring at least one image and detecting encoded light in the at least one image;
Determining regions and / or objects in the image acquired by the image sensor;
Using the detected encoded light to illuminate the area and / or object, emitting the detected encoded light, identifying a set of light sources each having one or more light settings;
Receiving an input signal relating to an updated light setting of the set of light sources, which sets an overall light effect affecting the area and / or the object;
A processing unit;
A transmitter for transmitting a control signal corresponding to the updated light setting to the set of light sources;
With remote control unit. The processing unit is
Receiving at least two images from the image sensor and detecting a difference between the at least two images;
The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein the region and / or object in one of two images is determined from the difference. The processing unit is
Receiving user input identifying a region in the image;
The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein an outer edge of the object and / or area is determined from the identified area to determine the object and / or area.   The remote control unit of claim 3, further comprising a user interface, wherein the user interface provides the processing unit with the user input by user interaction with the user interface. The image sensor is
Obtaining the plurality of images to form a stack of images from the plurality of images;
Sum of all pixels for each image in the image stack to generate a conventional one-dimensional signal for determining what codes are present in the scene represented by the image stack Decide
5. The light range of the light source is determined from the stack of images by correlating the time dependence of all pixels with a code associated with the light source. Remote control unit.   The remote control unit according to claim 1, further comprising a user interface, wherein the processing unit transmits an identifier of the area and / or object to the user interface.   The remote control unit according to claim 6, wherein the user interface provides identification of the object and / or region and a snapshot of the image having both the object and / or region.   8. A remote control unit according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the user interface provides an identifier as to which light source affects the illumination of the object and / or area.   The remote control unit according to claim 8, wherein the user interface provides light settings available for the set of light sources.   The processing unit identifies the region and / or object by segmenting image foreground information from image background information, and identifies the region and / or object by the image foreground information. The remote control unit according to 1.   The processing unit identifies the region and / or object by performing motion detection and / or motion estimation between the two images in order to detect an object and / or region moved between the two images. The remote control unit according to claim 2.   The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit identifies the area and / or object by obtaining an image depth measurement for the object and / or area to be identified.   The remote control unit according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit identifies the region and / or the object by performing object detection.   A remote control unit according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and at least one luminaire controllable by the remote control unit and having at least one light source from the set of light sources. Configuration with. A method for controlling a set of light sources, comprising:
Acquiring at least one image by an image sensor and detecting encoded light in the at least one image;
Determining a region and / or object in an image acquired by the image sensor by a processing unit;
By said processing unit, said that in light of the region and / or objects, a set of light sources for emitting the detected encoded optical, said to identify the set of light sources having one or more light respectively set Using the detected encoded light; and
Receiving, by the processing unit, an input signal relating to an updated light setting of the set of light sources, which sets an overall light effect affecting the area and / or object;
Transmitting a control signal corresponding to the updated light setting to the set of light sources by a transmitter;
Having a method.

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